As COVID-19 continues to spread and ravage the world, wealthy Chinese travellers have no shortage of travel destinations in China for that much-needed respite. Ahead of Golden Week in October, China seems to be bracing itself for a boom in domestic travel. Be it the sandy shores of Sanya, mountains of Yunnan or giant panda sanctuaries in Sichuan, the options are endless.

After a Delta variant outbreak was reported more than a month ago, China imposed strict restrictions and lockdowns, resulting in no new local Covid-19 cases on August 23 for the first time since July.

According to a report by the China Tourism Academy, the sector estimated close to 4.1 billion domestic trips in 2021, clocking in a 42% increase in comparison with that in 2020. 

“Outbound tourism is officially discouraged, and the quarantine-on-return requirements are onerous,” Sienna Parulis-Cook, director of marketing and communications at Dragon Trail, told CNN Travel. 

“There is also social pressure and a sense of responsibility that you should not risk others by traveling abroad and potentially bringing back the virus with you.”

It doesn’t matter that international travel is restricted, wealthy Chinese travellers have no dearth of domestic travel options. 

“Because China is so vast. There are so many different languages, cultures and foods as well — different things grow in different regions,” said Jolie Howard, the CEO of L’ VOYAGE bespoke private jet charter service based in Hong Kong. “There is so much variety.”

According to the 2021 Hurun Report, Sanya ranks at the top among the most popular destinations that domestic travellers love to explore. It is a tropical playground on the island of Hainan which is south of mainland China. Furthermore, it is often called the “Hawaii of China”, as it brims with luxury resorts. 

On the other hand, Yunnan, a mountainous region, ranks second. This one is home to ancient cities, forests and tea plantations.